


Disturbing Still Waters

by casscc



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Comedy, Fluff, Gen, Slice of Life, but only in spirit, he may or may not also be allergic to other people, tsukki has many allergies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-02
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-05-30 16:10:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6431272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/casscc/pseuds/casscc
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After graduating college and finally moving out of his parents' house, Yamaguchi Tadashi wants to make the most of his new found independence. This, of course, involves making friends and baking cookies- though not necessarily in that order.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It's only his first day being completely settled and unpacked, and yet Yamaguchi Tadashi has already successfully befriended almost everyone on the block. Sure, it may have something to do with all of the cookies he spent the better part of the morning slaving away over- but still, first impressions are everything. He feels a sense of pride swell inside him as he finally comes to a stop in front of the last house in his new little subdivision.

He shifts the small tupperware container of snickerdoodles to one hand and knocks on the door with the other. A few seconds later, a petite blonde girl opens the door then blinks up at him.

"Hi, I'm Yamaguchi Tadashi! I'm your new neighbor," the freckled boy says with a practiced ease, "and I just thought that I should introduce myself to everyone in the neighborhood."

"Oh, hello! Welcome to the neighborhood, Yamaguchi- I'm Yachi Hitoka."

"Well, Yachi, these snickerdoodles are for you," Yamaguchi says as he holds the container of cookies out to her.

Her eyes widen with wonder, "Oh my gosh, That's so nice of you! Thank you so much, I love snickerdoodles. They're my favorite!"

"Yeah? Me too! I made them myself," Yamaguchi responds, bashfully, "This is my first time trying this recipe, though, so I hope you like them."

"They're _homemade_ too?" She asks in such a way that makes it seem as if Yamaguchi was an angel that came down from heaven himself to grace her with this gift. He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly and nods. Yachi clutches the container to her chest, as if it was something she had to protect with her life.

"I have to try one right now-" she says in complete seriousness, "please, come in," she adds quickly, before carrying the cookies to her kitchen with Yamaguchi trailing behind.

 

* * *

 

"You know, I feel like we did the introductions a bit backwards," Yachi finally admits as she finishes her third snickerdoodle, "Aren't _we_ supposed to be the ones that welcome you in and give you housewarming gifts and food?"

Yamaguchi laughs, "I guess you're right, but I just wanted to leave a good impression on everyone."

"I can assure you," she says, holding up another cookie, "it _definitely_ worked on me... Though, I still feel like _I_ need to do something to welcome _you_ here, so would you like to maybe come over for dinner later?"

"I mean, if you insist, sure," he shrugs, "I've already introduced myself to everyone, so I guess I'm free."

"Okay-" Yachi smiles, but then freezes for a moment, as if suddenly remembering something unpleasant, and the cheerful expression melts from her face.

"Wait..." She says carefully, placing the cookie down, "You've already met _everyone_ here?"

"Yes?" Yamaguchi replies, now unsure.

"Does that mean you've even talked to..." Yachi looks around, almost as if afraid someone might hear her, before leaning towards him and whispering, " _Tsukishima?_ "

"Who's Tsukishima?"

Yachi throws her arms up, exasperated, "I don't know!"

"You don't know? What do you mean-"

"I've only seen him like _twice_ the whole time I've lived here- and it was from a distance! Just between you and me, I don't think he ever goes outside. At all!"

"Then how do you know who he is?"

"Well... He has a sort of a, um, a _reputation_ here, if you will."

"Reputation? You mean like-"

Before Yamaguchi's thoughts can go too far, Yachi interrupts him, "Well, apparently he's this huge, scary jerk that's really, really mean to everyone, and so I've sort of avoided talking to him."

"Oh, come on. He can't be that bad."

"Okay, okay," she says leaning back in her armchair, "but from what I've seen from you so far, you seem like the kind of person to always think the best about people and are just generally really friendly and nice-"

Yamaguchi holds a hand to his heart, touched.

"Aww."

"-And from what I know about Tsukishima, he's the complete opposite."

"Oh."

A silence falls and Yachi picks up the cookie she put down earlier and eats it, convinced she's made her point.

Yamaguchi speaks up, "Alright, but which house does he live in?"

"You live a house away from Tanaka and Nishinoya, right?"

"Yes?"

"He's right next to them."

Yamaguchi's stomach drops.

"Oh my God, I completely skipped his house- Noya and Tanaka were already outside and called me over, and I got so distracted by those two that I forgot I hadn't gone to his house. It didn't cross my mind at all! I _literally_ live right next to him, oh my God, I am the scum of this Earth-"

Yachi interjects his rambling, "W-well, I mean, maybe it's for the best-"

"No, no," Yamaguchi shakes his head and stands, "I can't just not go say hello- that would make _me_ the unsocial, unfriendly jerk!"

He starts toward the door, "I'm sorry, I have to go and-"

His thoughts are interrupted by the crunch of another cookie. Yamaguchi whips his head around.

"-and I don't have any cookies left!" Yamaguchi groans, "I'm the worst person on this planet..."

"Uh- take these!" Yachi shoves a small vase filled with yellow daisies at Yamaguchi.

"Flowers?"

"Yes!" She exclaims, tucking a single daffodil from another arrangement into the vase, "Give it to Tsukishima! Everyone likes flowers!"

Yamaguchi inspects the object skeptically, "Your vase too?"

"I can always get another vase, Yamaguchi. Don't worry about it."

"Oh, well, okay, um," he stutters, backing out of the room, "I'm gonna go now- it was nice meeting you, Yachi!"

"See you later!"

"And thank you for the flowers!"

She offers up a cheery smile and he bumps into the wall, almost dropping the flowers in the process.

 

* * *

 

_He's probably not even that bad._

Yamaguchi thinks to himself as he gingerly walks up to Tsukishima's door. He steadies himself with a breath and gently knocks on the door.

And he waits.

And waits.

Checking his watch, Yamaguchi sees that two minutes have already passed.

He knocks again.

Not even ten seconds later he hears the sound of the door being unlocked, and then it opens, revealing a beanpole of a blond staring down at him through the lenses of his thick-rimmed glasses.

"H-hi there, um, I'm Yamaguchi Tadashi, your new neighbor, and, uh, and these are for you," he stumbles over the words, but manages to get through the sentence.

Tsukishima regards him for a moment.

"I'm allergic to pollen," he states simply, slamming the door in Yamaguchi's face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is my first time posting a fic please be gentle  
> (i've added more onto this because it just needed it so if you havent already please check it out)
> 
> my tumblr: cass-cc.tumblr.com  
> also shoutout to my friend jj over at jjcka.tumblr.com for more or less coming up with this plot with me and also being my beta god bless


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you havent already please dont forget to look at the update on the first chapter!!

"And then he slammed the door in my face!" Yamaguchi says as he plops down on Yachi's couch.

"No way!" Yachi exclaims, placing the vase down on her coffee table, "I had no idea he was allergic to these. I'm so sorry!"

"It's fine," he sighs, "Honestly, that was probably his way of telling me to _'get lost'_... I just don't know what I'm going to do now..."

Yachi shrugs as she meticulously adjusts the vase, "Just leave well enough alone. There's not much you can do about it now, right?"

"Maybe, but I feel like I should at least give him another chance. I want to be on good terms with him- I'd even take being on _okay_ terms with him at this point," he sighs again and sinks into the couch, "I just want him to _not_ hate me."

"Well, if he hates flowers, then maybe you can give him something he can eat instead," she suggests as she sits down, as if it's the most simple thing in the world.

"But _what_ , Yachi?" Yamaguchi groans throwing an arm over his face as he leans his head back onto the couch.

"Hmmm," Yachi hums, "I heard from Sugawara that apparently Tsukishima has a sweet tooth! I think he said that he saw Tsukishima at the supermarket the other day, buying a strawberry shortcake? Maybe you could try making that!"

"Strawberry shortcake, huh?" Yamaguchi nods, "That should be easy enough."

 

* * *

 

It takes a few days and a lot of critic from Yachi, but Yamaguchi eventually perfects his recipe for a strawberry shortcake.

After much encouragement from Yachi- as well as a few others who have become aware of his mission simply due to all of the cakes he wasn't sure of what to do with- Yamaguchi decides to finally return to his neighbor's doorstep.

He knocks on the door, and then once again a few moments later. Yamaguchi hears the telltale unlocking of the door. Soon after, it opens.

"Hey," Yamaguchi greets, smiling lightly, "So I know we got off on the wrong foot-"

Tsukishima goes to slam the door on him for the second time, but, almost as if Yamaguchi anticipated this, he stops it with his foot.

"I brought cake," Yamaguchi whimpers.

Narrowing his eyes, Tsukishima cautiously cracks open the door.

"Leave it on the ground and go," he says through the gap between the door and its frame.

Yamaguchi's smile falls.

"Wait- what?" He asks, completely confused, "That's not how it works at all! You're supposed accept it directly from me and then invite me in!"

Tsukishima stares Yamaguchi down, but the freckled man refuses to budge under the gaze of the bespectacled one.

"Hold on."

And with that, Tsukishima closes the door again, gently this time.

Yamaguchi is baffled, but waits patiently.

Eventually the door is opened once more, and Tsukishima silently invites him in. He takes the cake from Yamaguchi and goes straight to the kitchen.

There's a painful stretch of time in which Yamaguchi attempts to make conversation while Tsukishima just cuts himself a slice of the cake and sits to eat it, completely and effectively ignoring him.

Yamaguchi watches as Tsukishima takes the first bite, and then a second. Soon, he realizes the blond does not intend to say anything right now in regards to the cake, or in general, so Yamaguchi lets his eyes wander around the kitchen.

It's relatively basic compared to his own. Compared to Yachi's, it seems utilitarian. The walls are a faded baby blue, the tile floor a simple slate gray. Overall, it's fairly nondescript. Yamaguchi notices the distinct lack of photographs. No family photos or paintings adorn the walls, which seems strange because - unless the paint is just _really_ old- there are silhouettes from where it looks like there used to be frames that hung on the walls.

_There's so much about this guy that no one knows. I wonder if-_

Tsukishima places down his silverware after he finishes the cake, startling Yamaguchi out of his thoughts.

"So..." Tsukishima asks, "Why are you still here?"

"What-? What the heck? You aren't even going to _thank_ me?" Yamaguchi cries, exasperated.

"Thank you, please leave," Tsukishima deadpans, pushing a disgruntled Yamaguchi out the door.

The door shuts behind him and Yamaguchi is left alone, once again, on his neighbor's doorstep.

He takes deep breath, and then Yamaguchi smiles. He immediately runs over to Yachi's house and raps on her door. 

"Yachi!" He yells in excitement, "You're never going to believe what I just did!"

A moment later, Yachi opens the door and ushers him in, "What? What'd you do?"

Yamaguchi pauses to collect himself. 

"I did it. I went _inside_ of Tsukishima's house."

Yachi's jaw drops. 

"You _WHAT?!_ " 

"Yeah, I got him to invite me in-"

"I thought you were just going to make amends," Yachi mutters to herself, now pacing. "He's so intimidating- that must have been so scary!"

She pauses and turns to him, "What if he's actually a serial killer. You could have _DIED._ "

"Y-Yachi-"

" _No one would have known what happened to you because he would have taken you hostage!_ ," she wails frantically, " _And then next thing you know, you're at the bottom of a lake or- or-!_ "

Yamaguchi places his hands on her shoulders.

"Yachi." 

"d-dismembered," she whispers. 

"He's not a serial killer. He just... Doesn't get out much. Probably."

Yachi sighs, "I guess you're right..."

"And besides-" Yamaguchi muses, "they say it's the people that seem most normal that are typically murderers, right? So really, it's more likely that _I'd_ be a serial killer than him."

Yachi takes a step back.

" _That wasn't a confession!_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading! all comments and kudos are greatly appreciated ^u^  
> once again shoutout to jj for being my super awesome beta


	3. Chapter 3

"So," Yachi asks excitedly, "what's he like, anyway? How's his interior design?"

"Well, I only really saw the kitchen..." Yamaguchi muses, "but it didn't seem like he's done much to the place. If anything at all, really."

"Did you ask him anything?"

"We didn't talk much... Actually, I don't think we even talked at all," Yamaguchi frowns, "All he did was eat cake while I stood there and watched. Then he kicked me out. Can you believe that?"

"Well," Yachi confesses, "going off of what you've told me about him so far, yes."

Yamaguchi gives her a dry look.

"Anyway, I'm planning on going back again tomorrow to _actually_ get him to talk to me."

 

* * *

 

And so he does. The next day, Yamaguchi brings yet another strawberry shortcake. Not a store-bought one full of chemicals, but a homemade one, filled with love and desperation.

Tsukishima opens the door after Yamaguchi's second set of knocks.

"Tsukishima! I brought more cake!" Yamaguchi says cheerily.

Tsukishima stares at him.

"Do you really think I'm stupid enough to just fall for this trick over and over?"

Yamaguchi freezes, because that was, in fact, his plan.

"So..." Yamaguchi says slowly, "You don't want cake?"

Tsukishima pauses, then steps back from the doorway.

"Come in."

 

* * *

 

Today didn't seem much different from the one before. Tsukishima brings the cake over to the kitchen with Yamaguchi following suit. After setting it on the counter, he admires the bribe for a short moment, then proceeds to cut a slice for himself. Yamaguchi looks around the kitchen, feeling a bit in over his head once more.

Tsukishima glances from the cake then to Yamaguchi and back again.

"Do you..." The blond begins hesitantly, staring at the piece he cut, "Would you like a slice?"

Yamaguchi straightens in surprise.

"Uh, sure, thanks."

"Well," Tsukishima says defensively, handing him the plate, "you did make it, so it only makes sense."

"You know," Yamaguchi says, taking the cake slice, "you don't have to justify yourself for being _nice_."

"Whatever," he shrugs, slicing into the strawberry shortcake for another piece.

Yamaguchi smiles in triumph as the two sit down at the small table in the kitchen. Tsukishima takes a bite of the cake.

"So, how is it?" Yamaguchi asks.

"Fine," Tsukishima says shortly.

Yamaguchi cringes at the blunt reply, and, almost as if catching this, the blond adds a quiet, "Thanks."

Neither of them say a word after that. The freckled guest wonders just how they could have went so quickly from seemingly having a pleasant conversation, to being plunged into such an icy silence. He sighs and starts eating small bites of his own cake, feeling half at a loss of what to do and half unsure of himself.

Yamaguchi jolts when a generic ringtone blares, and he checks his phone. He then realizes it's coming from Tsukishima, who has promptly pulled out his own phone to check the caller, only to shove the device back into his pocket, unfazed. He is about to take another bite of his cake before Yamaguchi clears his throat.

Tsukishima glances at him, and Yamaguchi quietly asks, "Aren't you going to answer that?"

"No," the blond replies curtly.

Yamaguchi scoffs, "You're just going to ignore it?"

"Yeah," Tsukishima mutters, "He'll get over it."

Yamaguchi pauses.

"Who is it, anyway?" He asks, hoping he's not overstepping any boundaries.

"My brother."

Yamaguchi's face contorts in confusion, " _What the heck_ \- answer it then! You're not even talking to me-"

"So," Tsukishima interrupts cooly, "how has your day been?"

"Don't give me that," Yamaguchi scolds, pointing at Tsukishima with his fork, "Answer your phone!"

Yamaguchi could have sworn there was a small smile on Tsukishima's face as he reaches in his pocket for it. However, any trace of amusement promptly disappears once he answers his phone.

"What."

Yamaguchi quickly busies himself with his cake, so as to look anywhere but at the slight irritation that crosses the blond's face when the other begins talking. The voice is just quiet enough that Yamaguchi can't make out the words. Tsukishima sighs, stands up, and heads to the counter.

"Fine, hello. What do you want?"

Compared to Tsukishima's crass attitude, his brother seems to be in rather good spirits- or at least significantly less terse.

"Yes, I know it has, and-" the blond leans against the counter and rolls his eyes at what Yamaguchi could only say he guesses is "incessant babble" on the other end.

"Okay… okay…" Tsukishima says as he drums his fingers on the counter.

He glances at Yamaguchi and his eyes widen momentarily.

"Listen, I have a…" he pauses, "uh, someone over and-"

Tsukishima's eyes flit back over to his guest and Yamaguchi quickly acts as if he's completely engrossed in his piece of cake and not the pieces of conversation.

"Oh shut up, it's just my neighbor."

Yamaguchi hears muffled laughter courtesy of Tsukishima's brother.

"Look, I'll have to call you back-" Tsukishima sighs as he's interrupted again by the insistent voice on the other side, "Yes, I'll _actually call_ you this time."

Yamaguchi tries not to look too surprised at that, and shoves his fork into his mouth instead.

"Alright, bye," Tsukishima says, and then hangs up his phone.

The blond then plops down in the seat across from a startled Yamaguchi.

"I lied," he comments offhandedly, "I'm not actually going to do that."

It takes Yamaguchi a moment to realize what Tsukishima meant.

"What!?" Yamaguchi gasps, "But he's your _brother_!"

"You're right," Tsukishima muses, pulling his phone out again, "I should block his number, too."

Yamaguchi makes an incoherent sound of exasperation, and, for once, Tsukishima laughs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no decent excuses as to why this took so long, so I'm not going to even try that. Hopefully next one won't take so long, but don't hold me to it.  
> Sorry that I am unreliable but!! I hope you enjoyed this chapter regardless!
> 
> Shoutout to my beta at jjcka.tumblr.com for continuing to be da bes


	4. Chapter 4

Yamaguchi sits down on Yachi's couch and immediately gets down to business. "Did you know Tsukishima has a brother?"

He watches as the blonde's mouth drops open in surprise.

"No," she says, "No, I didn't."

Shaking herself from the initial shock, Yachi presses, "How did you find out?"

Yamaguchi gives a smug half-shrug. "His brother called while I was over."

"What?" She exclaims, "That's amazing! What happened?"

"Well, actually," he says, loosing a bit of his bravado, "Tsukishima didn't really _want_ to talk to him."

"But it's his _brother!_ " Yachi stresses, throwing her hands in the air as if to further her point.

"That's what I said!"

She furrows her brow and leans back in her armchair. "So did Tsukishima just ignore the call?"

Yamaguchi shakes his head. "He wanted to, but I made him answer it."

"What did they talk about?" She asked, cocking her head to the side.

"I'm not really sure... I only heard Tsukishima's half of the conversation and he really didn't contribute much. It's kind of funny that he spoke to me more than he spoke to his own brother."

"I think that's pretty sad."

"Yeah..." Yamaguchi says, rubbing the back of his head, "He ended up using me as an excuse so he could get off the phone."

"Really?"

Yamaguchi nods.

"And then," he says leaning forward, "Tsukishima said he'd call him back- but his actual words were ' _yes, I'll actually call you this time._ '"

Yachi's jaw drops. "No way."

" _Yes_ way."

"That's crazy! So does he just completely hate his brother?"

"Well... I don't really know about that. I mean, sure, Tsukishima joked about not calling him back and blocking his number-" Yamaguchi pauses and frowns- "Er- well, i'm pretty sure he was joking, anyway."

"You don't know?"

"I mean, he did laugh after he said it-"

"He _laughed?!_ "

 

* * *

 

"Hey, Suga!" Yachi calls from her backyard.

The man in question straightens up from rearranging the various flowerpots around his porch.

"Oh, hello, Yachi," Sugawara says, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his gloved hand.

"Suga? I was wondering if you have some time right now-"

The blonde cuts herself off. 

_Wait, but what if he's actually really busy and this is the first break from work he's had in a long time and I'm just bothering him constantly and he secretly hates me, but is too nice to actually say anything?_

She stutters, "I-I mean it's okay if you don't-"

"Yachi."

"I just thought it w-would be nice, but actually, nevermind-"

"Yachi."

"Just go back to your lilies! Sorry-"

" _Yachi!_ " Sugawara says, finally getting through to her, "I don't mind at all. I was due for a break from gardening, anyway."

Yachi sighs, "O-oh."

"I'll be right back," He calls to her, and then pauses at his door, "Do you want some lemonade?"

"Sure!" She says with a relieved smile.

She crosses her yard and pads over to the various flowerpots Sugawara had been busying himself with before.

"Are these flowers new?" Yachi asks Sugawara as she looks around at them all, "I don't think I've seen the ones over here before."

Sugawara peeks out the window of his kitchen to see the flowers in question. 

"Oh, yes, those are zinnias. I just got them," he calls to her, "I couldn't decide what color I wanted to get, so I just got all of them."

Yachi giggles while the silver-haired man returns outside with two tall glasses of ice-cold lemonade.

"So, what is it that you wanted to talk about?" Sugawara asks as he and Yachi settle down at the small table on the patio. He sets the glasses onto the table.

"Well," Yachi says, taking a sip of her lemonade, "Apparently, Tsukishima has a brother."

He hums, swirling the ice in the cup with his straw.

"And it seems to me that they have a pretty rocky relationship."

"How so?" He takes a sip. 

"They hardly talk, according to Yamaguchi, and apparently Tsukishima had shut him down afterward when he tried to bring up the subject."

The silver-haired man purses his lips.

"Well," he begins, "Yamaguchi doesn't really know Tsukishima all that well yet, right? If Yamaguchi gives it some time, I think he'll open up a bit."

The two kept talking and drinking lemonade in the shade. They didn't even notice the other two shadows hidden behind the gooseberry bush, even when one of them tripped as they made a hasty exit.

 

* * *

 

Yamaguchi opens his door only to find Nishinoya and Tanaka on his doorstep. They both look rather grave, as if they were the grim reaper and had finally come for Yamaguchi's soul. 

Nishinoya is the first to speak. 

"We hear that you have information on our neighborhood recluse."

Yamaguchi wishes they _had_ come for his soul.

He sputters, but Tanaka holds up his hand and cuts him off. "Listen, we just have a few questions is all."

"I, uh, I'm not really a gossip, though," Yamaguchi stutters, "I don't know how comfortable I am-"

Almost immediately after being gently rejected, the two look incredibly disappointed. Tanaka begins to pout and-

_Oh my God, is Nishinoya going to cry?_

Yamaguchi sighs, heart strings effectively pulled and played. They perk up as he does, and share a look of barely contained excitement. With a simple "excuse me for one second", Yamaguchi closes the door and calmly walks to the kitchen. Once there, he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

Then, he screams.

Returning to the front door, Yamaguchi reluctantly invites the two inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i may or may not have forgotten to post this.  
> [jj](jjcka.tumblr.com) is my beta as always. also feel free to come yell at me over at [my tumblr](cass-cc.tumblr.com)


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